Sunday, November 22, 1998 Published at 15:47 GMTWorld: EuropeCeausescu treasures up for auctionThe Ceausescus were renowned for their opulent lifestyleRomanian authorities are preparing to auction off belongings and gifts of the late dictator Nikolae Ceausescu worth an estimated half a million dollars.

The couple were executed in 1989

During their 24 years in power, Nikolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena amassed thousands of luxury gifts of paintings, cars and fine wines and a wardrobe which included thousand of men's suits.

The couple were notorious for enjoying an extravagant lifestyle
while the rest of the country suffered in poverty.

The Ceausescus were finally ousted by the bloody 1989 revolution,
and were tried and executed by a firing
squad on Christmas day that year.

Treasure trove

Magnificent Snagov Palace

The gifts are housed at Snagov Palace, north of the Romanian capital, Bucharest, where the Ceausescus spent much of their time in power.

Government officials face the tremendous task of going
through the gifts, pricing them and preparing them for the sale next year.

About 1,000 items will go to
auction, and are expected to fetch nearly half a million dollars.